NHL: Jersey opens Playoffs with win over Tampa Bay
{{date|April 12, 2007}}

''Devils lead series 1-0. (Best of Seven)''

{{MatchScore|Tampa Bay Lightning|3|5|New Jersey Devils}}
{{Stanley Cup Playoffs 2007}}

The New Jersey Devils got their ride in the 2007 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs started off right Thursday night, defeating the high-voltage offense of the Tampa Bay Lightning before 14,495 at [[w:Continental Airlines Arena|Continental Airlines Arena]], in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

[[w:Zach Parise|Zach Parise]], the Devils 1st pick (17th overall) in the 2003 draft, who led the team in scoring this season with 31 goals, scored twice in the game, including the winning goal off a pass from [[w:Jamie Langenbrunner|Jamie Langenbrunner]]. [[w:Vincent Lecavalier|Vinny Lecavalier]] scored twice for the Lightning, but his efforts alone were not enough for Tampa. [[w:Martin Brodeur|Martin Brodeur]] was solid as always in net for the Devils, notching 23 saves to pick up the win.

Tampa and Jersey will face each other at least three more times in the Opening Round of the NHL Playoffs. The next meeting between the two clubs will be Saturday at 7:00 pm EDT, when the teams will meet again at Continental Airlines Arena.

== Scoring Summary ==
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="margin: 1em 1em ; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%; width:98%; border-bottom: none;" align=center
!colspan="7" style="background-color:#FFFFFF; border-collapse: collapse; border-top: none;"|<center>Scoring Summary</center>
|- style="background: #e9e9e9"   
! No. !! Period !! Time !! Team !! Scorer (No.) !! Assists !! Score
|- 
|1 || 1st || 7:43 || NJ || Zach Parise (1) || Unassisted || 1-0
|-
|2 || 1st || 12:31 || NJ || Patrik Elias (1) '''PP''' || Scott Gomez, Brian Rafalski || 2-0
|-
|3 || 1st || 15:55 || TB || Martin St. Louis (1) '''PP''' || Brad Richards, Dan Boyle || 2-1
|-
|4 || 2nd || 3:36 || NJ || Brian Rafalski (1) '''PP''' || Scott Gomez, Jamie Langenbrunner || 3-1
|-
|5 || 2nd || 11:46 || TB || Vincent Lecavalier (1) || Unassisted || 3-2
|-
|6 || 3rd || 2:51 || TB || Vincent Lecavalier (2) || Vaclav Prospal, Martin St. Louis || 3-3
|-
|7 || 3rd || 3:54 || NJ || Zach Parise (2) || Jamie Langenbrunner || 4-3
|-
|8 || 3rd || 18:38 || NJ || Brian Gionta (1) || Scott Gomez, Patrik Elias || 5-3
|-
|}

== Goaltending ==
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="margin: 1em 1em ; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%; width:98%; border-bottom: none;" align=center
!colspan="7" style="background-color:#FFFFFF; border-collapse: collapse; border-top: none;"|<center>Goaltending</center>
|- style="background: #e9e9e9"   
! Team !! Player !! Shots !! Saves !! Save Pct. !!
|- 
|NJ|| Martin Brodeur || 26 || 23 || .885
|-
|TB|| Johan Holmqvist || 24 || 19 || .792
|-
|}

== Three Stars of the Game ==
* '''#1''' = [[w:Zach Parise|Zach Parise]], D, ''New Jersey Devils'' - 2 Goals
* '''#2''' = [[w:Vincent Lecavalier|Vincent Lecavalier ]], C, ''Tampa Bay Lightning'' - 2 Goals
* '''#3''' = [[w:Brian Rafalski|Brian Rafalski]], D, ''New Jersey Deivls'' - 1 Goal, 1 Assist

== External links ==
* [http://www.newjerseydevils.com Official Website of the New Jersey Devils]
* [http://www.tampabaylightning.com Official Website of the Tampa Bay Lightning]
* [http://www.nhl.com National Hockey League Official Website]

== Sources ==
* [http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20062007/GS030121.HTM NHL Online ReportViewer - Game Summary]
* [http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20062007/ES030121.HTM NHL Online ReportViewer - Event Summary]
* [http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20062007/PL030121.HTM NHL Online ReportViewer - Play-by-Play]
* [http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/boxscore;_ylt=AhbB7AW1Bn5caJWZg8w81GV7vLYF?gid=2007041211 Yahoo! Sports Boxscore - New Jersey Devils 5, Tampa Bay Lightning 3]

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[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:National Hockey League]]
[[Category:Stanley Cup Playoffs 2007]]
[[Category:Ice hockey]]
Devils lead series 1-0. (Best of Seven)


The New Jersey Devils got their ride in the 2007 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs started off right Thursday night, defeating the high-voltage offense of the Tampa Bay Lightning before 14,495 at Continental Airlines Arena, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Zach Parise, the Devils 1st pick (17th overall) in the 2003 draft, who led the team in scoring this season with 31 goals, scored twice in the game, including the winning goal off a pass from Jamie Langenbrunner. Vinny Lecavalier scored twice for the Lightning, but his efforts alone were not enough for Tampa. Martin Brodeur was solid as always in net for the Devils, notching 23 saves to pick up the win.

Tampa and Jersey will face each other at least three more times in the Opening Round of the NHL Playoffs. The next meeting between the two clubs will be Saturday at 7:00 pm EDT, when the teams will meet again at Continental Airlines Arena.
North America United States Sports National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoffs 2007 Ice hockey